Travel & Leisure Facts and Notes

Does your sailboat have a keel that pulls up? Then consider yourself lucky. This type of boat is able to be launched just like you would a regular motorboat. But if your sailboat has a fixed keel, it will take some special procedures. Remember, safety first! With this kind of keel, the trailer has to back down to the end of the ramp to get the boat into water that is deep enough to float and be disconnected from the trailer. Your tow vehicle just cannot back it down far enough without getting submerged. So what do you do?

Be sure you have the proper equipment to do the launch safely. Your tow truck needs to be at least as large as a mid-sized SUV or pickup truck. In other words, something fairly heavy. The weight is needed for safety. You must keep all three components in balance, the truck, the trailer, and the boat.

Your tow vehicle must NOT be a front-wheel-drive type. Why? Because when the weight of the trailer presses down on the rear section of the tow vehicle, its front wheels lose traction. Some good choices of tow vehicles are rear wheel drive with manual 4-wheel drive option, all-wheel drive, or a 2-wheel drive as long as it is rear-wheel drive.

The most basic of safety accessories you need are a rope and wheel chocks. You need to get a long, strong rope in very good condition. Since this will be used to lower the trailer into the water, the rope must be strong enough to bear the weight of the trailer plus your boat. The rope must be thick enough and in good enough condition. Plan on replacing the rope each season. You also need some good quality wheel chocks with sturdy ropes attached that can be easily yanked out at just the right moment. Do not buy cheap safety equipment. Since you have the money to invest in a boat, trailer, and tow vehicle, then you have the money to buy some high quality tow rope and good quality wheel chocks.

Follow these basic steps to safely launch a fixed-keel sailboat:

1. Have the driver back the trailer up to the edge of the water.

2. Have the crew place the wheel chocks behind the trailer wheels.

3. Detach the tow vehicle from the trailer. Mount the trailer’s spare tire at the front of the trailer. This step holds the trailer tongue up and allows it to move easily.

4. Tie a very long rope from the trailer to the tow vehicle.

5. Have the tow vehicle pull forward away from the lake until the rope is taut.

6. Pull the chocks out from behind the trailer wheels and back up the tow vehicle so the trailer and boat are submerged in the water. Unless sandbars are encountered at the base of the ramp, your driver should be able to easily back up until the boat floats and free itself from the trailer.

7. Drive the tow vehicle forward until the trailer is out of the water. Chock the trailer wheels, then back the tow vehicle down to hitch the trailer back on.

If you encounter sandbars you are going to need some assistance. Look for a courtesy dock that might be running along side the ramp, and have your crew tie on some dock lines and pull the trailer and boat into the water. Or ask a power boat owner to assist and have them pull your trailer and boat deep enough into the water for you. I’m sure it won’t take long to enlist the help of one of the many friendly boaters.

Keep safe and wear your life vest or life jacket. Alcohol and water don’t mix, so leave the beers back at camp until the end of the day.